Music in 2023

[kamikazekeeg]

We don't do as much music stuff around here, but what was everyone's favorite listens this year?

Starbenders - Take Back the Night: This was a newer find for me in the past couple weeks, but this is a great rock band.  Kind of a mixture of styles, some glam rock, 70's rock, alt rock, all with sort of a darker energy at times with some of the lyrics, but turned into a band I'm really digging now and need to look into their previous stuff.

Warmen - Here For None: Another recent find, album wise, I knew of the band, primarily the brainchild of the Children of Bodom keyboardist.  Mostly an instrumental band with some voice stuff added, but they got a proper singer for this album who with the first song, sounds very close to Alexi Laiho (RIP).  To me, the song "Warmen Are Here For None" is a definite homage to Children of Bodom as it feels and sounds like a missing Bodom song.  The singer isn't exactly Alexi, doesn't have that higher range, but it's good and the rest of the album is more of its own thing as it's not just trying to replace Children of Bodom, but the vibes are inevitably there because of who is involved, so if you were a Bodom fan, this is a must listen.

Dethklok - Dethalbum IV: It's more Dethklok and I've been waiting for that.  I still need to watch the movie that just came out, but this albums is fun as usual.  I still think Dethalbum II might be my overall favorite, but they are all good.

Ghost - Phantomime: Ghost always releases fun cover albums and this is another good one, my favorites being Jesus Knows Me and Phantom of the Opera.

Electric Callboy - Tekkno: Really goofy and fun band that I dig for their Metalcore/Electronic music mixture and the fun they have with songs.

I think that's the best stuff I've listened to the most album wise this year from what I can remember or find going off stuff in my library on Amazon.  I did try and get into a rising band called Sleep Token, as there's some similar vibes to Ghost with their execution, but I can't get into the music.  It's harsher Djent stuff, mixed with kind of a lighter modern rock sound that just doesn't work for me.  Good stuff in the music, but I don't think this will be a Ghost situation where I'll get into them with later albums and then retroactively appreciate their previous stuff as Sleep Token would have to drastically change their style for me (Which they very well could based on their new masks/look they just showed off).

[dhaabi]

I listen to a lot of music and am always adding albums which seem interesting or worthwhile to my listening backlog. That said, I don't really go out of my way to listen to new music but pretty much am always listening to music that's new to me. By my count, though, I did listen to a total of 62 albums which released this year. Since I don't review music or even really write notes, it's usually difficult for me to recall anything about it unless I revisit it.

Referencing some quick notes, there was only one album from 2023 I made a point to mark as being favored more than most.

Tzusing | 绿帽
I'm not one for reviewing music, but 绿帽 (or Green Hat) is just a nice culmination of electronic drum'n'bass, being almost tribal at times. In some moments, I'm reminded of the game Thumper's soundtrack. Skimming through Pitchfork's review, there's a lot of flavored descriptors being tossed around, but I'm keeping it simple to just say it's enjoyable.

Here are some honorable mentions, I suppose:

100 Gecs | 10,000 Gecs
This album isn't as memorable as their debut 1,000 Gecs, but I sure did go through a little bout of listening to their song "mememe" anytime I was streaming music. About half of this album is really good while the other half is just fine.

André 3000 | New Blue Sun
This isn't something anyone is going to go out of their way to casually listen to with a few minutes to spare, but it's solid background music.

Lil Yachty | Let's Start Here.
I'm not going to revisit this entirely right now for the sake of this post, but I think it's something I should get around to sooner than later. I can always applaud for when artists move into another stylistic direction, however temporary, and it works out well enough.

Tyler, the Creator | Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale
I'd rank this higher, but it's really just an expansion to the base album from 2021. Even with the added tracks, it isn't my favorite Tyler album (the entire experience becomes less cohesive, in my opinion), but it's still a lot of fun. "Sorry Not Sorry" is one of my favorite tracks of his now, with the accompanying music video actually adding a lot to the song, which doesn't happen often in music.

Electric Callboy - Tekkno:

2022, but close enough.

[kamikazekeeg]

Electric Callboy - Tekkno:

2022, but close enough.

Bah, the one I think I didn't double check the date on when I was going through the more recent releases lol I was still listening to it earlier on in the year, so good enough lol

[stealthrush]

Staind - Confession of the Fallen : After a decade a new album that has all the hallmarks of the classic band.


Crosses - Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. : Modern dark synthpop meets 80s new romantic pulled off phenomenally.   


Sevendust - Truth Killer : Another solid release this time with subtle touches of dark electronica tossed in the mix.


Godsmack - Lighting Up the Sky : Return to form bringing back the gritty sound the band is known for. 



A few honorable mentions from Project 86 - OMNI, Pt.1 dystopian technocratic concept album, besides demos Linkin Park - Meteora 20th Anniversary Edition which had a handful of great unreleased songs, Element Eighty - A.D. and Taproot - SC\SSRS new albums after both bands long absence.

Looking forward to upcoming releases in 2024 from: Project 86, Korn, Julien-K, Adema, Static-X (2nd posthumous album) Jeffrey Nothing (Doom Candy project) Crossbreed, Professional Murder Music, American Head Charge, P.O.D. Still holding out hope for Deadsy - Subterfugue album release.

[oldgamerz]

As a DJ I will kindly say that most songs played these days are reruns of somebody's Elses tunes sometimes even the 1920's old sheet music of yesteryear.

[Cartagia]

Dethklok - Dethalbum IV: It's more Dethklok and I've been waiting for that.  I still need to watch the movie that just came out, but this albums is fun as usual.  I still think Dethalbum II might be my overall favorite, but they are all good.

Dethalbum III is definitely my favorite, but I've really liked everything I've heard off of IV.

[kamikazekeeg]

Dethklok - Dethalbum IV: It's more Dethklok and I've been waiting for that.  I still need to watch the movie that just came out, but this albums is fun as usual.  I still think Dethalbum II might be my overall favorite, but they are all good.

Dethalbum III is definitely my favorite, but I've really liked everything I've heard off of IV.

Dethalbum III is great, II just has that perfect mixture for me where it has songs that are abit more goofy and themed to stuff from the episodes like the first album, while also having the more "serious" feel of III, where the songs almost seem more like actual songs you'd expect the band itself to put out normally if it was real.  All great stuff, that's 5 fantastic albums Brendon Small has put out (I haven't heard the soundtrack for the latest movie yet, though I glanced at it and it seems to be more orchestrated stuff, so probably won't be much I actually listen to).

[oldgamerz]

You all probably could create your own radio station with Casthost. I do not have all that much music myself only about 22,000 songs but that is not every song ever created, but do not overload your playlist, because there are other people that want to do this to today guys and girls.

But not any death trash black ok people?

[Cartagia]

But not any death trash black ok people?

What kind of music do you think Dethklok is?  And definitely don't check out Ghost.

Dethklok - Dethalbum IV: It's more Dethklok and I've been waiting for that.  I still need to watch the movie that just came out, but this albums is fun as usual.  I still think Dethalbum II might be my overall favorite, but they are all good.

Dethalbum III is definitely my favorite, but I've really liked everything I've heard off of IV.

Dethalbum III is great, II just has that perfect mixture for me where it has songs that are abit more goofy and themed to stuff from the episodes like the first album, while also having the more "serious" feel of III, where the songs almost seem more like actual songs you'd expect the band itself to put out normally if it was real.  All great stuff, that's 5 fantastic albums Brendon Small has put out (I haven't heard the soundtrack for the latest movie yet, though I glanced at it and it seems to be more orchestrated stuff, so probably won't be much I actually listen to).

Yeah I listened to some of the Soundtrack, and I liked it just fine, but it is more of just a music score, so not super high on my "gotta get it" list.

[telly]

Many of my favorite artists put out new albums in 2023, including Matt Corby, City and Colour, Ben Folds, Logic, Teskey Brothers, Hozier, Little Dragon, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones. While I wouldn't say any of their albums were spectacular or the ones that I listened to the most this year, it was nice to have so much new music to listen to!

I also went to the most concerts this year than I think I've ever done in my life, including Hozier, Teskey Brothers, St. Paul, and Fleet Foxes.

[kamikazekeeg]

But not any death trash black ok people?

Death Trash Black is my favorite metal genre! lol

[oldgamerz]

But not any death trash black ok people?

Death Trash Black is my favorite metal genre! lol

I know you really like mine better and I play thrash metal rock pop and more, I know your avatar is not really you it is only a cool photo painting probably made by my half sister Sara Wright I am guessing dude

[pzeke]

Firstly, take your meds. Seriously.

As a DJ I will kindly say that most songs played these days are reruns of somebody's Elses tunes sometimes even the 1920's old sheet music of yesteryear.

But not any death trash black ok people?

Everything's a copy of a copy of a copy. So yeah, in this context, music is undeniably derivative at times, but that doesn't subtract merit. The perfect example is right here on this very topic: Lil Yachty. A mumble rapper who, at one point in the popular music ecosphere, was essentially connected with Pink Floyd. Again, a mumble rapper. No one with telescopic eyesight would've been able to ever see that happening—never in a billion years. Music comes and goes, but it's always a constant; you have your predilections, just as everyone who has posted here does, so pontificating will yield you nothing: we're all a world apart.

As for the topic at hand, I honestly haven't listened to anything new in quite awhile, and whatever I manage to listen to happens to be in passing or vicariously, and I tend to not give it much thought; I'm stuck with the "old" when it comes to music. Mind you, as oxymoronic as it may sound, that doesn't mean I'm not "hip" about the new shiny and trendy thing, and it doesn't mean I will dislike any of the flavors of whatever the new sound is these days either; I just simply choose to stick to what I know and like. I relate it to when I'm hungry and go to a restaurant and don't feel like being adventurous and just order the same thing I've been ordering for, like, forever. I'm an unabashed sucker for the greatest (and not so greatest) hits of a bygone era.

[alligo]

I should make a list of what I listened to because I don't have everything in mind.

I was disappointed by Travis Scott's new album (Utopia).
I mainly listened to game music (FF, PSO2 etc) or re-listened to rappers like Tupac, MF Doom, Tyler the creator, snoop dog..

A little electro too.

[cambionn]

It says "what was everyone's favorite listens this year?" so I'm just gonna base it on that and not on releases this year:

Ayumi Hamasaki - Remember You (2023) Great album overal. Especially love the Nonfiction remix, but there are many good songs on the album.

Koda Kumi - Heart (2022) Great comeback for Koda. While I do dig her beat-trap stuff I was quite into this album as well.

Epica - The Phantom Agony (2003) & The Divine Conspiracy (2007) Somehow got really into Epica this year, especially the older stuff. I was really into metal as I was young, especially (underground) black. But somehow the last few years it changed to mainly Asian pop music. Every now and then I still turn on some metal album. This year it mainly seemed to be (older) symphonic stuff. Some other mentionables are Within Temptation's Enter & The Dance and some older Nightwish.

Bruce Springsteen I just listen to a lot of different albums and songs depending on my mood. Can´t go wrong with the boss. That being said, I wasn´t too big on the latest release (Only The Strong Survive, 2022).

Kpop, I listen to way too many artists here. Mainly girlgroups and mostly 2nd and 3rd gen. There are a few newer groups I was quite happy with like Ive and Le Sserafim, but I find much of the new stuff isn´t my jam. Some of my favourites have been 2NE1, SNSD, T-ARA, Nine Muses, Jewelry, Psy, Afterschool, KARD, Blackpink, Botopass, Chung Ha, CL, CLC, Dal Shabet, D.Holic, Everglow, EXID, Hot Issue, Itzy, Jessi, Loona, Mimiirose, Pocket Girls, Rainbow, Six Bomb, Sonamoo, U-Know Yunho, Seunngri and Badkidz. In no particular order.

Otherwise been listening to quite some Jpop, mainly Chanmina, Faky, Tomomi Itano, Mika Nakashima, Namie Amuro, Nana Tanimura, TeddyLoid, XG, and Happiness. Also some Vietnamese artists have been on replay a lot, mainly Toc Tien, Dong Nhi, Huang Thuy Linh, Chi Pu, and Min (please forgive my lack of Vietnamese characters). According to my Last.FM account Britney Spears and Weird Al Yankovic also score good this year. Western pop party anthems type songs with some upbeat EDM music are also something appreciated this year.